WHAT IS CBD?  What does it do? Does it get you "high?"
Will it work for me? IS IT LEGAL?  Where was it grown? How was it processed it? What went in it before it got into my hands? How do I get quality CBD?  AND ALL THE OTHER QUESTIONS...

WHAT IS CBD EXACTLY?

CBD is short for cannabidiol. It is an active cannabinoid in the cannabis plant. Found in both hemp cannabis and in cannabis containing THC.
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*Some like to call the THC containing cannabis marijuana, however that term has controversial roots around the criminalization of the plant and the marginalization of black and brown populations in the US, so let's just call it cannabis.

Miracle or Snake Oil? Debunking the myths around CBD.

Ahhh, the abyss of the internet and all the beautiful stories we are told. It is really hard to tell what the truth is when we have so many myths and uncertainties clouding the water.

Here are the facts:

• CBD is only in the infancy stage of medical research (due to prohibition - learn that history here).​
  
• CBD in it's whole plant and extracted forms has been used for thousands of years across the world. (More here on historic use)
  
• Many CBD products on the current market are basing their "claims" on experiential evidence (positive accounts from customers)
  
• There are products that have no CBD in them at all, and can still be sold, because there is no regulation in the marketplace.
  
• The industry standard for proof of CBD content in products is called 3rd party lab testing. Every product you purchase should be able to prove they have done this, at the very least.

What does CBD do? What can it do for me?

CBD is still very much a natural medicine. This means that its forms and administration factors are various as are the effects on each individual. This challenge to uniformity means every user is going to have a slightly different experience. What we do know, from the thousands of years of natural use, and the more recent 100 years of very little medicinal research, is that experientially, users are benefiting from a host of properties ranging from pain and stress reduction to better sleep and youthful skin.

CBD is medicinally recognized as an: 
• Anti-inflammatory—ramps up the body’s defense system 
• Antioxidant/neuroprotective—reduces toxicity from external factors 
• Antipsychotic—regulates mood, thinking, and perception 
• Antimicrobial—kills bacteria (think infection) 
• Analgesic—manages pain

Internal effects of CBD: 
• Increased relaxation; less tension and muscle stress 
• Better sleep and deeper rest 
• Diminished stress and anxiety 
• Balance of bodily systems including mood and libido
• Balance of digestion and gut challanges
• Pain reduction through decreasing inflammation

Topical effects of CBD: 
• Reduced inflammation, irritation, redness, and bruising 
• Increased moisture retention  
• Tonal and textural balancing of the skin

REMEMBER: While all of these effects are promising and for some life changing, it is important to remember that experiences vary, and that having the right product, that is good quality from a reliable source, in the form that is right for you is going to be paramount for the best experience. 

*For a guide on where to buy and how to buy good products - check out the CBD for Dummies Book or CBD: Hemp Derived Secrets to Wellness

*To go straight to a great resource for buying CBD products nationally, explore Poplar. They even have a free consultation with an expert here.

Hard to know what is legal where.
We know. Here's the low down in the US.

*Hemp Derived CBD is legal across the U.S.

We know what the extracts "look like" but what about the plant?
Let's take a look at the source.

When we are shopping for CBD products we see a whole host of forms, from full plant flower to tinctures and sublinguals to resins and extracts in gum and shatter form and more. (MORE on forms in CBD for Dummies).

These products are either the plant itself: flower, or they are extracted from parts of the plant. These parts are identified in products as:

Full-Spectrum - containing all of the plant
Broad-Spectrum - containing all but a moleculte or two, generally THC-Free
Distillate - containing some of the molecules
Isolate - containing only the CBD molecule

What is important for you to differentiate when you are buying CBD is that it is only found in the flower, leaves, stalk and stem of the plant. Products made from the seed of the plant  DO NOT have CBD unless it is added to the product in manufacturing. 

Not sure what form of CBD is right for you?

​There are a few different forms of CBD available to choose from. 

Knowing which one is right for you can be a challenge.

The chart to the left will help you better understand which form might be right for you. 

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All this talk about TERPENES, and it's still just not that clear. What are terpenes?

Terpenes are the plant chemicals found in ALL plants (and some insects too!). They are responsible for the taste, smell and experience associated with plants. We talk about them in cannabis, A LOT, because they are found in great diversity and in high concentrations in the cannabis plant.

When it is time to purchase your CBD of choice (after you have chosen the correct form of course - see above) you are going to be faced with a decision about what kind of CBD Cannabis is the right EXPERIENCE for you. The most important piece of this is the Terpene Profile.
​Below is a fast way to explore the terpenes that might be right for you. Take a look!